"кησ¢к мє ∂σωη, αℓℓ тнє ∂ємσηѕ ¢яєєριηg ιη, σн…" Infernokit sat in the shadows of a tree, hidden from other cats' view. He was looking up, watching the leaves as they fell, one by one. He couldn't help but think back to Gingerkit's sadness that Lavenderkit had died, despite not knowing him well. He sighed softly and frowned, shaking the thought out of his head. Lavenderkit's death shouldn't weigh on his conscious, he had never even met the other kit. He didn't have any reason to think about him. But his sister had been so sad because other cats were. "αησтнєя яσυη∂ тяα∂ιη' ѕнσтѕ ωιтн му єgσ…" He was lucky to have her. He couldn't let anything happen to her, no matter the cost. His sister was so pure and so kind and sweet, and if anyone hurt her, he would rip them apart, verbally or otherwise. It depended. "яυηηιη' ¢αη'т нєℓρ мє ησω…" He knew that his sister had shared a similar sentiment with him, but he knew, deep in his bones, that he would never let anything happen to Gingerkit, lest he start to go down a darker path. He couldn't let anyone get hurt. Not Gingerkit, not Cherrykit, not Sparkkit, not anyone. "уσυя ¢нαιηѕ σηℓу ∂яαg мє ∂σωη…" 'You have no control over it… they'll all leave you eventually…' an insidious voice in his mind whispered. He shook his head and firmly said, "No." "ι'νє вαттℓє∂ нαя∂ ωιтн тнє ƒα¢є ιη тнє мιяяσя…" 'You're not strong enough to help them… you'll lose everything…' the voice insisted. Inferno sheathed and unsheathed his claws, before repeating, "No." "єνєяу ѕ¢αя мαкєѕ мє ∂ιg ∂σωη ∂єєρєя…" 'You'll end up alone… no one will love you… you aren't enough… you will never be en-' the voice kept on, until he cut it off with another, louder, more insistent, "/No/." "ρυѕн ιт 'тιℓ тнєяє'ѕ ησтнιηg мσяє…" Inferno shook his head emphatically. "Gingerkit… I will not let you get hurt, never. You will be okay," he said, as if he could control it at all. "Cherrykit… you will become a great warrior, I'm sure, and I'll help whenever I can,” he said, fighting back the voice that said he couldn’t do anything productive or helpful. "Sparkkit… I've never met you, but you'll never end up with mental scars, I'll make sure of that," he murmured, his voice gradually getting softer and more vulnerable. "Flightfur… I will never, ever, ever let you feel like you're going to end up as a bad cat. You're amazing. I promise. I won't let your kits get hurt, don't worry," Infie said, his voice taking on a more protective edge. "Otterkit… you will /not/ end up hurt, I swear to StarClan. You are the kind of cat that every Clan needs more of, the kind of cat who is willing to give cats another chance. Thank you for being so optimistic," he purred gratefully. With every name he said, he felt like he could see the cats' faces, almost as if they were right in front of him. He kept saying names, going through Li and Ephe and Sandpaw and everyone that he cared about, everyone that he'd met, until he finally reached the end, which was when he said, "I will be strong for all of you, I promise." "'¢αυѕє ι'м ѕтяσηgєя тнαη ι ωαѕ вєƒσяє…" He didn't have any room for error now. He just didn't. If he lost anyone, he would lose his mind, he was sure. He didn't want to lose anyone else. He'd already lost three of his parents, and he wasn't going to deal with it silently anymore. He wasn't. Never again was he going to silently sit by and watch as cats were in pain. He was going to prevent it. No matter the cost. No matter what it took. He. Was. Done.
